1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of an amphiphilic antoxidant composition as a neuroprotective agent and to methods for using and preparing the same. More particularly, the present invention pertains to the use of a formulation of pyruvate, antioxidant, and lipid(s) such as fatty acids for protecting neurons against oxidative stress.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the development of many heart and brain dysfunctions. Ischemia/reperfusion insults to these organs are among the leading causes of mortality in America. These insults are caused by complete or partial local occlusions of heart and brain vasculature, by heart stroke or attack, and by cerebral attacks and trauma to the brain. In addition, ROS are involved in artherosclerotc lesions, in the evolution of various neurodegenerative diseases, and are also produced in association to epileptic episodes, in inflammation, in the mechanisms of action of various neurotoxicants, or as side-effects of drugs.
Until now, no ideal therapeutic agent is known to protect neuronal cells against oxidant species associated with various types of oxidative stress. It would therefore be highly desirable to have such neuroprotective agent.
TRIAD is combination of pyruvate, antioxidant and fatty acids. This composition has been patented in 1997 in the U.S. as a therapeutic wound healing compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,274). Many related U.S. patents have also been issued for covering the uses of TRIAD in antkeratolytic compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,814); in anti-fungal compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,208); in acne healing compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,190); in anti-inflammatory compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,380); in dermatological compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,183); in sunscreen compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,912); in antihistamine compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,561); in cytoprotective compositions (U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,285); in wound healing composition affixed to razor cartridges (U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,302); and in regenerating compositions (EP 0 573 465 B1). However, none of these patents discloses or suggests the use of TRIAD as neuroprotective agent.
In view of the above, it is clear that there is a need for an amphiphilic antioxidant composition comprising pyruvate, antioxidant, and lipid(s) such as fatty acids to protect neuronal cells against oxidant species.
The purpose of this invention is to fulfil this need along with other needs that will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following specification.